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SAUDI ARABIA – Temporary hold on work visit visas for all nationalities.
May 21, 2025
By: Vivek Radhakrishnan, Senior Manager, Immigration – Middle East Operations, Newland Chase
Foreign nationals are currently unable to obtain temporary work visit visas for Saudi Arabia, which is likely to cause delays to assignment start dates and projects. Employers should contact their immigration provider to discuss their requirements and explore alternatives, where possible.
Further to our previous alert on the temporary suspension of short-term visas for 14 countries, we have now received confirmation that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has suspended the issuance of quotas for temporary work visit visas. This is a temporary suspension and is applicable to all nationalities.
Applications that are currently in progress have been placed on hold, and the quota option has been removed from the QIWA portal. There is no mention of when the suspension will be lifted, however, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide an update with any new information.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.
This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.
